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Metropolitan Police Department will activate its Joint Operations Command Center, including the network of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, as a routine public safety measure for New Year's Eve in the District of Columbia.

Beginning at approximately 6 pm on Saturday, December 31, the Department will activate its network of 19 CCTV cameras to help police monitor for any suspicious or unusual activities along the National Mall and in commercial areas downtown and in Georgetown. No additional cameras outside the existing CCTV network are scheduled to be deployed.

Barring any unusual circumstances, the cameras will be deactivated by 6 am on Sunday, January 1, 2006. The Metropolitan Police Department's CCTV system is a secure, wireless network of 19 cameras owned and operated by the MPDC. The cameras are mounted on various buildings, primarily in downtown DC and the Georgetown commercial area.

They focus on public spaces around the National Mall, US Capitol, White House, Union Station and other critical installations, as well as major arteries and highways that pass through downtown DC.

The CCTV system is activated only during major events in the District or during periods of heightened alert for terrorism. CCTV camera feeds are displayed in the MPDC's Joint Operations Command Center (JOCC), a secure facility located on the 5th floor of police headquarters.

Additional information about the CCTV network, including the locations of the 19 permanent cameras, can be found on the MPDC website, www.mpdc.dc.gov/cctv.